This invention relates in general to sewing machines and in particular to a new and useful sewing machine which has, in addition to ordinary sewing needles, an auxiliary needle which is engageable into the workpiece to facilitate the turning thereof during stitching or feeding.
A similar machine is disclosed in German patent 16 85 079 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,369). According to this reference, if seams parallel to the edge and forming a corner are sewn with multineedle sewing machines, the sewing machine is stopped with the needles in their upper dead center position, and an auxiliary needle is thrust into the work at the corner point of the provided outer seam, whereupon the work can be turned into a new direction about the auxiliary needle which now serves as an axis of rotation. Since, in its rest position, the auxiliary needle must extend outside the range of motion of the needle bar or the needle holder supporting the sewing needle, it must move along a path forming a relatively large angle with the vertical, and, consequently, pierces the work obliquely. Because of this oblique piercing direction, and provided that it is adjusted for a medium thickness of the work, the auxiliary needle penetrates the work ahead of, or behind, the predetermined corner point of the seam, depending on whether the work is particularly thick or particularly thin, whereby upon turning the work, the seam is misplaced relative to the edge.